MEZZOFANTI, Giuseppe Gaspare. Bologna 19.9.1774 — Rome 15.3.1849. Italian Polyglot, Cardinal. Born in a humble family as the son of a carpenter, Francesco Mezzofanti and Gesualda Dall’Olme, he showed early his talent in languages. Studied with the Piarists. Ordained priest 1797, he became Professor of Arabic, Hebrew and Greek at…
MENSCHING, Gustav. Hannover 6.5.1901 — Düren-Lendersdorf (between Aachen and Köln) 30.9.1978. German Theologian and Scholar of Comparative Religion. Professor in Bonn. Son of Gustav Mensching (1869–1906), a farmer and trader, and Johanna Schubart (1874–1956; Anna Vogler of English Wikipedia is his grandmother). Studies of theology (Luth.), comparative religion, Indology and…
MATHER, Robert Cotton. Manchester 8.11.1808 — London 21.4.1877. Rev. British (Scottish) Missionary and Hindi Scholar in India. Son of Rev. James Mather and Ann Speakman (1772–1809), educated at Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities (M.A. 1831), then theology at Homerton College. Ordained priest in 1833 and went to India for the London…
MASSON, Joseph. Montegnée, prov. Liège 21.9.1908 — Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Brussels 1998. Father, S.J. Belgian Indologist, Catholic Priest and Theologian (Scholar of Religions and Missions). Studies at Collège Saint-Servais in Liège and at Jesuit College of Louvain (Leuven). Ordained 1938. Studies at Louvain University. Dr. en philosophie et histoire orientales 1942 Louvain.…
MARCO DELLA TOMBA (lay Pietro Girolamo Agresti). Tomba (now Castel Colonna) near Senigallia in prov. Urbino 1726 — Bhagalpur (Patna) 13.3. (or 7.6.) 1803. Father. O.F.M. Italian Capuchin Missionary, in India 1757-73 & 1783-1803. Son of Crisostomo Agresti and Vittoria Luzietti, a peasant family, Capuchin novice 1745, gave his vows…
MANWARING, Alfred. Broadwater, Sussex 5.4.1855 — Hastings (St.Leonards on Sea), Sussex 12.1.1950. Rev. British Missionary in India. Son of William Manwaring (1825–1899) and Eliza Paine (1830–1871) . Ordained 1879. He served Church Mission Society (title page of 1899 book), probably in Nasik, but all further information remains without confirmation. In…
MALINOWSKI, Franciszek Ksawery. Gołubie, Pomerania 27.12.1807 (or 1808) — Komorniki, Wielkopolskie 30.1.1881. Polish Priest and Linguist interested in Sanskrit. Son of the elder Fr. Malinowski (1781–1829) and Dorota Weronika Bohm (d. 1809). After school in Skępo, Żuromin and Płock, studies at Warsaw and from 1829 at seminary in Pelplin. In…
MALAN, Caesar Jean Salmon (then Solomon Caesar Malan). Geneva 12.4.1812 (or 23.4.) — Bournemouth 25.11.1894. Rev. Swiss Priest, Polyglot and Oriental Scholar in the U.K. Son of Dr. César Henri Abraham Malan (1787–1864), a controversial theologian, of an exiled French Huguenot family, and Salomé Georgette Jeanne Schönberger. Educated at Vandœuvres,…
MAHON, George William. Madras 1808 — Aspley Guise, Woburn, Bedfordshire 1866. Rev. British Clergyman in India. Son of William Mahon, of Swansea. Matriculated 1824 Pembroke College, Oxford, B.A. 1828 and Fellow 1828-37. M.A. 1831, Chaplain 1834. After brief service in Bangalore, Chaplain of Fort St. George in Madras 1839-49, removed…
MAFFEI, Angelo Francesco Saverio (Angelus Francis Xavier). Pinzolo, Val di Rendena, South Tyrol (Alto Adighe) 12.11.1844 — Nellikunja near Kasargod 31.5.1899. Father. S.J. Italian Missionary in India. After classical studies at Collegio Vescoville in Trento he started clerical studies and was sent to Università Gregoriana of Rome. Joined the S.J.…